Data processing apparatuses using a driver program for controlling peripheral devices, e.g., printers, digital cameras, scanners or the like, have conventionally been known. Such data processing apparatuses are capable of setting up various configuration settings related to the peripheral devices by using the driver program.
However, in the conventional data processing apparatuses, when a driver program is switched, unconditionally a partial setting only is inherited. Therefore, for those settings that are not inherited, a user must set up again.
In general, a printer driver which is familiar with the data structure of DevMode can interpret the DevMode. However, an application program cannot refer to contents of a printer-native setting.
For instance, in a case where a data processing apparatus, e.g., a computer, switches a printer for outputting an image, the print setting of the printer driver in the so-called public area only is inherited, and other settings that cannot be interpreted by the application program are reset to a default setting. In other words, conventionally in a case where a user performs print setting for a certain printer and thereafter changes an output destination to a different printer, the print setting, e.g., a layout, is not inherited except a specified setting, so that the user must perform setting again, causing poor usability.
Furthermore, because print settings often include data or commands that depend upon a printer, it has been unable to come up with a usage pattern of a print setting that is applicable to a plurality of printers.